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ABCs of Safe Sleep for Babies

ABCs of Safe Sleep for Babies

You probably already know the ABC’s of safe sleep – that is:

ALONE: Your baby should always sleep alone

BACK: Your baby should be put to sleep on their back.

CRIB: Your baby should only sleep in a crib or bassinet.

But have you wondered about WHY these guidelines are in place? We break it down below.

Alone

Babies should sleep in their own safe space, and not bedshare (or co-sleep) with parents. Bedsharing can create a suffocation situation when babies get covered by blankets or pillows. For babies 4-months or younger, bedsharing is associated with a 5x - 10x increase in SIDS incidents. That risk goes up significantly if parents have been smoking, drinking or taking drugs.

But it’s not always so cut and dry. The newborn stage is exhausting and parents can be desperate for sleep, especially if they’re juggling newborn life with work life. In moments of desperation, it’s all too tempting to take baby into bed and hope for a few extra minutes of precious sleep. The percentage of parents who report co-sleeping has doubled in recent years. Tragically, the number of SIDS incidents associated with bedsharing has also risen by 184%.

 

How to Safely Co-Sleep

We designed our BassiNest with this parenting experience in mind. It swivels over your bed, allowing you to sleep extra close (read: inches away) from your babe, but still have them in their own separate safe space. A lowering wall also makes it easy to place them back in the BassiNest for when you’re done feeding and feeling beyond exhausted.

Featuring HALO BassiNest 3.0 Swivel Sleeper

 

Back

If you’re an expecting or new parent you’ve likely heard “Back is Best” about a million times. It’s the number one safe sleep recommendation, and we think it’s so important we embroider it on every SleepSack we sell.

Why is back sleeping so critical? Simple - it’s proven to significantly reduce the risk of SIDS. Babies who sleep on their tummies have a 3x to 4x higher risk of SIDS vs those placed on their back for sleep. In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics launched their Back To Sleep campaign, resulting in a 50% decline in the annual SIDS rate.

Experts think a baby sleeping on stomach can lead to SIDS by causing the baby’s mouth and nose to be blocked by soft bedding. Having the face so close to a mattress can cause “rebreathing” of exhaled breath, which causes a rise in carbon dioxide and a drop in oxygen. (This situation inspired us to develop a breathable crib mattress that’s significantly more breathable than standard crib mattresses. But remember, baby should still always be placed on their back to sleep for every sleep until age 1.)

Crib

Babies should only sleep in safe sleep spaces - that means a crib, bassinet, or playyard that meets current standards. They shouldn’t sleep in adult beds, on couches, fuzzy rugs, or anywhere else. In particular sleeping on couches can raise the risk of SIDS by up to 50%. If you feel yourself starting to nod off with baby while on a couch, do whatever you can to transfer them to a safe sleep space. (Pro tip: having a portable bassinet in the living room can help mitigate this situation.)

Their sleep space should also be totally empty - that means no blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, bumpers, etc. These can interfere with a clear airway and become a suffocation risk.

Instead of a loose blanket, use a SleepSack. Not only do they help your baby sleep safely, but because they’re warm and cozy (and can’t be kicked off!), they can also help them sleep longer too. (yes please.)

Featuring HALO Sleep Crib Mattress

 

For more safe sleep reading, visit our friends at First Candle and The Lullaby Trust. HALO is proud to partner with these incredible organizations to strive towards all babies sleeping safely.

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